The Spring Trip to Southern California

At ten o'clock Sunday morning, March 10, Ellen White and William, along with Sara McEnterfer and Helen Graham, had left Elmshaven, catching the Santa Fe “Angel” that evening from Oakland. They were met in San Bernardino a little before seven Monday morning and were taken by automobile to Loma Linda in time for breakfast.6BIO 367.4

W. C. White reports that as they were gliding along over the five miles of good road from San Bernardino to the Sanitarium he thought of his father and mother in 1846, 1847, and 1848, how they often traveled on canal boats because it was less expensive than the railway trains, if there was a choice; or drove with horse and carriage across the country, eating their cold lunches by the roadside. “How different it is now,” he pondered, “with our thousands of friends, and our sanitariums with all their conveniences to care for us wherever we go!”—WCW to Marion Crawford, May 7, 1912.6BIO 367.5

Ellen White spent the next few days at Loma Linda and later in the week went to Los Angeles for the closing days of the ministerial institute. The meetings on Sabbath were held in the Temple Auditorium, one of the largest in Los Angeles. Many of the members of surrounding churches came in for the services. Elder Daniells spoke Sabbath morning, and Ellen White, Sabbath afternoon; she dwelt on the words of the Saviour to His disciples, that they should love one another (Pacific Union Recorder, March 21, 1912). She spoke again at the institute two days later.6BIO 367.6

After the ministerial meeting, the sixth session of the Pacific Union Conference was held in Los Angeles March 21 to 26. Ellen White spoke on Thursday, the opening day, and again on Sabbath. Elder E. E. Andross was called to the presidency of the union, and Elder G. A. Irwin, retiring, was made vice-president. Both were safe men as far as the medical school interests were concerned. On Tuesday, March 26, she returned to Loma Linda to be present for the constituency meeting, which opened the next morning.6BIO 368.1

She took quite an active part in both the constituency meeting and the meeting of the board that followed. Invited to address the constituency, she spoke Thursday morning, stressing unity in all features of the work of the church. Her remarks imply some threats to the work at Loma Linda. What she said was summed up in the minutes of the March 28 constituency meeting:6BIO 368.2

Mrs. E. G. White was present and spoke to the members of the constituency meeting for thirty minutes, emphasizing the fact that we are working for time and eternity. It is pleasing to see the spirit of unity that has characterized our councils. Unity is very important in order to accomplish the great work before us.... Be of one mind, of one heart, of one spirit. Come into unity. Don't strive to get up some new thing. Work together. Plan wisely and intelligently. Harmonize, harmonize. Bring the mind into harmony with God. Don't be driven from your position by somebody's notions. Work together. The Lord is working for us.—Constituency Meeting Minutes, March 28, 1912 (see also DF 5, Medical Practice and the Educational Program at Loma Linda, p. 125).6BIO 368.3

The same day, she joined in an interview regarding the purchase of more land at Loma Linda.6BIO 368.4

At the opening of the constituency meeting, Elder G. A. Irwin, the president of the corporation, had set forth three factors he considered positively essential if the medical school was to succeed. One of these, the factor he considered the most essential, was “steadfast adherence upon the part of the directors and medical faculty to the principles contained in the instruction upon which the institution was founded” (Ibid., 118).6BIO 368.5

Others involved in the work were of the same mind, which accounts for the place of importance given to Ellen White's words of counsel.6BIO 369.1

In the development of the medical school the point had been reached where provision had to be made for the clinical years of physician training. At first it was hoped that these needs could largely be met with the construction of a modest hospital at Loma Linda. Now it was clear that with the relatively sparse population in the area, the hospital at Loma Linda would be inadequate; they had to look to a populated area.6BIO 369.2

As the Loma Linda board wrestled with the problem, they were well aware of Ellen White's repeated advice that a sanitarium should not be located in Los Angeles. She was drawn in for counsel, and met with the board on the afternoon of April 4. W. C. White had discussed the matter of the clinical needs with his mother as they drove together that morning about the Loma Linda grounds. It now seemed overwhelmingly evident that the clinical work needed to be done largely in a center of population, and the question had narrowed down to a choice of going into Los Angeles for all of the clinical work or of doing part of the work at Loma Linda and part in Los Angeles.6BIO 369.3

Ellen White spoke up cheerfully and promptly, and said that that was the better way—to do part of the work here, and part in Los Angeles. Both in the conversation with her son and now with the board, she supported the proposition that the students get part of their experience at Loma Linda and part of it in Los Angeles (Manuscript 14, 1912). As W. C. White reported this in the Review and Herald sometime later, he put it this way: “She advised that we do in Loma Linda just as much of the work as could be done acceptably there, and carry the remainder to Los Angeles.”—September 28, 1916.6BIO 369.4

After spending another week or two at Loma Linda, she returned to Elmshaven, where it was back to the book work with her reading manuscripts, writing, and occasionally filling speaking appointments. The first of these was at Pacific Union College, Sabbath, April 27; and then St. Helena the next Sabbath, at Napa on May 11, and on the eighteenth she was at Santa Rosa.6BIO 369.5